Four days. That is how long Masandawana had to live with the away goal that ended their reign as champions of Africa. On Tuesday night at Loftus Versfeld the reply was not loud. It was one sharp finish, a goalkeeper who made the save that mattered, and a place in the last eight.
The Sundowns Marumo Gallants cup result was 1-0. Siyanda Ndlovu scored after 20 minutes, and Mamelodi Sundowns are in the knockout cup quarter-finals, iDiski Times and SoccerMag reported at full time. It meant more than the margin suggests. Last season Gallants knocked Sundowns out at exactly this stage, and on Friday Wiliete knocked them out of the CAF Champions League. Losing again inside a week was not an option.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Result | Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 Marumo Gallants |
| Goal | Siyanda Ndlovu 20′ |
| Venue | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria |
| Stage | Knockout cup, last 16 |
How the Sundowns Marumo Gallants cup result was built
Miguel Cardoso made many changes after Friday, iDiski Times reported. Ricardo Goss started in goal, with Thapelo Morena, Iqraam Rayners and Ndlovu all in the published team sheet.
Sundowns had most of the ball in the first half, SoccerMag noted, though clear chances were scarce. Rayners sent a cross through the box in the 10th minute with nobody arriving to meet it.
Ten minutes later the move came off. Morena found Rayners, Rayners slipped Ndlovu in, and Ndlovu finished from a tight angle, according to iDiski Times. SoccerMag had the ball flying into the top corner. Two passes and a finish. Quick, direct, done.
Goss keeps Gallants out
Gallants offered little before the break. Goss had one comfortable save to make, from Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo, iDiski Times reported.
The second half was less tidy. SoccerMag wrote that Gallants created numerous chances after the break, and before the hour Samkele Sihlali had a sight of goal, only for Goss to make what iDiski Times called a great save. Sundowns never found a second goal, but the lead held.
Neither coach’s post-match comments had been published by the time this report was filed.
A ghost laid to rest, for now
History mattered here. Last season these two clubs met in the same round, played 120 goalless minutes at Lucas Moripe Stadium, and Gallants won the shoot-out 7-6, SuperSport reported. They went on to lose the final to Orlando Pirates. This season they arrived at Loftus bottom of the Premiership and still without a win, but our last 16 preview called it a rematch with a sting, and it was never a formality.
Then there is Friday. A 1-1 draw with Wiliete, after a goalless first leg in Angola, sent the holders out of Africa’s biggest club competition on away goals, as our report from that night tells it. The Turning Point breaks down the soft pass back that decided it. Before this game, Cardoso likened the exit to taking a heavy blow, as Fluit’s Five recorded this morning.
Our view: one goal at home against a winless side is not a statement. But after the week Sundowns have had, a clean sheet and a quarter-final place were exactly what was needed. The bigger tests come later.
Knockout cup quarter-final line-up so far
Seven of the eight places are filled.
| Club | How they got there |
|---|---|
| Golden Arrows | Beat Chippa United 4-0, Saturday 24 October |
| Siwelele | Drew 0-0 with Polokwane City, won 4-3 on penalties, Saturday 24 October |
| AmaZulu | Beat Kruger United 1-0, Sunday 25 October |
| Sekhukhune United | Beat Richards Bay 3-1, Sunday 25 October |
| Orlando Pirates | Beat Milford 3-0, Tuesday 27 October |
| Kaizer Chiefs | Beat TS Galaxy 3-0, Tuesday 27 October |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | Beat Marumo Gallants 1-0, Tuesday 27 October |
Saturday’s two ties are covered in our recap from 24 October. Elsewhere tonight, the holders Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs both won 3-0, against Milford and TS Galaxy.
The final place goes to the winner of Durban City v Stellenbosch on Wednesday 28 October at 19:00 at Chatsworth Stadium. The PSL will hold the quarter-final draw on the field straight after that match, and the quarter-finals are set for the weekend of 6 to 8 November, the league says.
What comes next for Sundowns
On Wednesday night Sundowns learn their quarter-final opponents. Before that tie comes the league: Durban City on Saturday 31 October at 20:15, at Royal Bafokeng Stadium, the club’s fixture list shows. Every Sundowns story is on our club page.
Four days ago Loftus watched the champions of Africa go out. Tonight it watched them hold on. For this week, that will do.